Compliance & Regulation
Legal Ombudsman increases budget further despite opposition
The Legal Ombudsman is to increase its budget by £2m or 11.4%, having received fierce criticism of its initial plan for a 10.2% rise – but it was nearly even more.
Paralegal fabricated email to cover up error
A paralegal has been banned from the profession for fabricating an email in a bid to cover up a mistake she made that led to a case being struck out.
Poor conduct of consumer claims “will see more firms collapse”
At least 15 consumer claims law firms have gone bust in the last five years owing more than £400m and poor practices in the sector will likely lead to more, a leading insurer has predicted.
Solicitor breached undertaking and loaned client cash to correct it
A solicitor who paid away proceeds of a property sale in breach of an undertaking and then loaned the client the money to make up the shortfall, has been fined for misconduct.
Regulators failing to support good-quality immigration work
Poor-quality immigration legal aid work is having “devastating consequences” for clients and better support from the Solicitors Regulation Authority would help, a report has found.
OFSI: Lawyers’ sanctions failures mainly down to licence breaches
Most sanctions non-compliance by UK legal services providers is due to breaches of Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation licence conditions, it has revealed.
Chartered legal executives could get standalone litigation rights
CILEx Regulation has launched plans for chartered legal executives to obtain standalone rights to conduct litigation without having to seek rights of audience at the same time.
Assistant solicitor fined for costly undertaking failures
An assistant solicitor whose failure to comply with an undertaking in a property transaction cost his firm’s insurer £440,000 has been fined £5,500.
Ban for legal executive who fabricated admissions and pleadings
A chartered legal executive who fabricated court pleadings, expert reports and letters from third parties has been disqualified from working for solicitors’ firms.
SRA uses settlement agreements “to put pressure on solicitors”
Solicitors need to have confidence that they will be treated fairly by their regulator if they are to be encouraged to admit errors, a former partner suspended for misconduct has argued.
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